Our sister body, the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has launched its first e-learning module, a paid-for product, to help develop and support marketers’ knowledge and understanding of the alcohol rules so they are better equipped to advertise responsibly.
In 2014, we received 187 complaints about 140 ads in the alcohol sector resulting in 27 ads having to be changed or withdrawn. So far in 2015 we've received 47 complaints about 38 alcohol ads with 2 being formally investigated and banned and another 6 cases where the advertisers agreed to amend or withdraw their ads without the need for a formal investigation.
Although complaint numbers are relatively low, it’s our and CAP's priority to ensure that alcohol advertising is responsible and marketers are supported in complying with the rules. The alcohol advertising rules are deliberately strict and have been tightened in recent years to prevent ads using creative content which research indicated had strong appeal to youth. The changes were also introduced against a backdrop of wider societal concerns surrounding harmful or inappropriate consumption of alcohol, particularly amongst young people.
We urge anyone involved in marketing
alcohol to take advantage of our module;
it’s written by the Code experts and can
help save the time, money and
reputational damage of having a
campaign investigated and, potentially,
banned by the ASA.
Shahriar Coupal, Director of the Committees
As the body responsible for writing the UK Advertising Codes, no one is better placed than CAP to help and give advice to marketers on the advertising rules. The module has been developed as part of CAP's commitment to increase, improve and better target our advice and training so every business has access to the information and support it needs.
The module is an invaluable resource for anyone involved in commissioning, producing or overseeing marketing communications for, or that feature, alcohol.
In summary, the module involves:
- A step-by-step guide to key ASA rulings and the rationale behind its decisions
- A clear comprehensive breakdown of the alcohol rules and an explanation of how and when they apply
- A guide to common mistakes and exercises to put learning into practice
- Continual assessment and a certificate upon completion
Launching the alcohol advertising e-learning module, Director of the Committees, Shahriar Coupal said: “We urge anyone involved in marketing alcohol to take advantage of our module; it’s written by the Code experts and can help save the time, money and reputational damage of having a campaign investigated and, potentially, banned by the ASA. Despite the strict alcohol rules, there are many creative routes for advertisers to take and our focus is on providing them with the support they need to make sure their ads are also responsible.”
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